Gotta do a 5 am morn... so..
EDUCATIONAL INCUBATION & HATCHING CHAT THREAD, w/ Sally Sunshine Shipped Eggs
- Thread starter Sally Sunshine
- Start date
Boy this is an active thread!
... and covers many topics!
This part of chicken ownership is all new to me (a typical suburban mom). We used to give away all our males. I always hoped to find a no kill situation, but I realistically knew they were headed for the oven. I realized how much time, money, & effort we kept giving away. I also realized that it would be far kinder to allow the males to spend their short lives here.
I'm fortunate to have a farm-raised handy man friend who likes to hunt & knows how to process all types of animals. The 1st few times we needed to put a chicken down. we just asked him to take the bird away. This year, I asked him to teach me. I can now do a quail all by myself (with kitchen shears), but not a chicken. I can pluck & do some of the processing but I still fear cutting the intestine or gall bladder.
Thank you. Interesting idea. That may help me a lot since I can dispatch a quail with scissors. I may also buy a killing cone.
That part is true for me. I must decide on a day, make the plans, and gather the materials. It really does help having someone with you as you work. (It also helps me stay strong & stick to the plan.)
My hubby can't take the sight of blood, so he'll never be able to help. Our daughter gets very upset when she learns that mom killed another chicken. talk about guilt!!! When she was 10 she had a vegetarian teacher & she wants to be one when she grows up. We decided not to hide the fact that we're eating backyard chicken. I usually have enough other foods prepared so the kids can decide whether to eat or not eat the meat that night. I found backyard chicken often tastes too intense for us. We'll eat it not to waste the gifts the animal gave us and sometimes it has been tough - requiring many additional hours in the slow cooker. Quail on the other hand is delicious - just not a lot of meat. I suppose my hope for a future helper is our son. He's only 7. He's already very helpful caring for the flock, but not ready for processing.
... and covers many topics!
This part of chicken ownership is all new to me (a typical suburban mom). We used to give away all our males. I always hoped to find a no kill situation, but I realistically knew they were headed for the oven. I realized how much time, money, & effort we kept giving away. I also realized that it would be far kinder to allow the males to spend their short lives here.
I'm fortunate to have a farm-raised handy man friend who likes to hunt & knows how to process all types of animals. The 1st few times we needed to put a chicken down. we just asked him to take the bird away. This year, I asked him to teach me. I can now do a quail all by myself (with kitchen shears), but not a chicken. I can pluck & do some of the processing but I still fear cutting the intestine or gall bladder.
Thank you. Interesting idea. That may help me a lot since I can dispatch a quail with scissors. I may also buy a killing cone.
That part is true for me. I must decide on a day, make the plans, and gather the materials. It really does help having someone with you as you work. (It also helps me stay strong & stick to the plan.)
My hubby can't take the sight of blood, so he'll never be able to help. Our daughter gets very upset when she learns that mom killed another chicken. talk about guilt!!! When she was 10 she had a vegetarian teacher & she wants to be one when she grows up. We decided not to hide the fact that we're eating backyard chicken. I usually have enough other foods prepared so the kids can decide whether to eat or not eat the meat that night. I found backyard chicken often tastes too intense for us. We'll eat it not to waste the gifts the animal gave us and sometimes it has been tough - requiring many additional hours in the slow cooker. Quail on the other hand is delicious - just not a lot of meat. I suppose my hope for a future helper is our son. He's only 7. He's already very helpful caring for the flock, but not ready for processing.
I love reading your guys' crazy banter 
arwenreborn
Chirping
We are up to 8 chicks! I went out to take the girls to gymnastics and came back to some extra chicks than what were there when I left home, always a nice surprise!
Grats on the chicks! At least you didn't hatch more dux into this world.... People that do that,,,,,well,, you know....
arwenreborn
Chirping
But they are so cute!!!
Now I will have nightmares for a week!
This helps me sleep, knowing some ducklings are responsible and know it is best they remove themselves from the world...
Hey Banty and Fake Eileen....Another chance to use my favorite duck picture!!!
arwenreborn
Chirping
Bahahahahahahaha!!!
Another question - I've got 5 chicks over at the folks farm, still in a big brooder box in an enclosed machinery shed. They are just over 4 weeks old, have had the heat lamp still "technically" on but not very close to the box at all. I've had to use this one for my day old chicks. However have noticed temperatures out at the farm are supposed to drop to 6 degrees celsius tonight, then back to normal 12 degrees celsius at night for the rest of the week. They have been out and about during the day, but not sure what I should do - I do have a desk lamp I can use here but I'm not sure on wattage etc.
Do you think the chicks will be ok in the brooder at the farm - no breeze or drafts, but I'm guessing will still get cold in the shed. Or do I take the heat lamp back out to the farm and just use the desk lamp on my chicks?
Shops are closed and I can't get a new heat lamp bulb until tomorrow.
Another question - I've got 5 chicks over at the folks farm, still in a big brooder box in an enclosed machinery shed. They are just over 4 weeks old, have had the heat lamp still "technically" on but not very close to the box at all. I've had to use this one for my day old chicks. However have noticed temperatures out at the farm are supposed to drop to 6 degrees celsius tonight, then back to normal 12 degrees celsius at night for the rest of the week. They have been out and about during the day, but not sure what I should do - I do have a desk lamp I can use here but I'm not sure on wattage etc.
Do you think the chicks will be ok in the brooder at the farm - no breeze or drafts, but I'm guessing will still get cold in the shed. Or do I take the heat lamp back out to the farm and just use the desk lamp on my chicks?
Shops are closed and I can't get a new heat lamp bulb until tomorrow.
6 degrees C is what in real temp.....
(cheating to check)
42 degrees.. They will be fine.
(cheating to check)
42 degrees.. They will be fine.
arwenreborn
Chirping
Awesome, was hoping not to have to make another trip out there! I'm guessing they can huddle together if they need to, we do have a smaller little box in the brooder with hay etc. that I see them in sometimes. I think I need to figure out a better heating system, especially if these bulbs keep mucking up!
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